Congressional Resolution Would Strip Internet Users of Privacy Protections
Today, Senator Flake and 21 cosponsors introduced a resolution under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to strip internet users of critical privacy and security protections for the sensitive information they share with their internet service providers (ISPs). If passed, the measure would permanently reverse the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)’s broadband privacy rules, which give broadband customers control over how ISPs can use and share their information, including all of the websites they visit.
“The CRA is a blunt instrument that would not just eliminate existing rules protecting broadband customers’ privacy and security but also permanently prevent the FCC from writing substantially similar rules,“ said the Center for Democracy & Technology’s (CDT) Vice President of Policy Chris Calabrese. “While statutes protecting privacy would still be on the books, their application would be completely unclear. The result is more uncertainty and less privacy. That’s bad for everyone – industry, consumers and everyone who relies on the internet.”
CDT strongly supports the FCC’s broadband privacy rules, and has advocated against both legislative and regulatory attempts to overturn or reconsider them. CDT encourages individuals to call their Congressional representatives to voice their support for strong privacy rules that protect all broadband internet users.
